Knock-down dress form



Nov. 22, 1955 A. BALDWIN KNOCK-DOWN DRESS FORM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15, 1953 INVEN TOR BY fl/V/V 5/41 DW/N ZiweA/Ex 1 ROM.

NOV. 22, B D

KNOCK-DOWN DRESS FORM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1953 0- win n:I LZONI U HAQK Q om INVENTOR. ANN 5/71. DW/N A TTORI E Y.

Patented Nov. 22, 1955 e S e P O -e The present invention relates to a dressmaker form for garments, such as waists, dresses, coats, etc. It is particularly directed yto a knock-down garment form for use in the fitting of garments.

Previous garment formshavebeenunsatisfactory for the reasons that they were incapable of being readily disassembled for storage when their immediate use was no longer required; they were not adapted for packaging and shipment in fiat, compact containers, with the parts,

so arranged as to be easily and quickly assembled.

Moreover, there were inaccurate representations of anatomical features, especially in the regions of the bosom or bust. In such form, the bust was represented as a single transversely extending projection on the chest,

the true formation being incapable of accurate simulation. i

Another type of garment form heretofore used was the inflated or pneumatic type, which by its nature, prohibited the use ofpins and other securing means required for properly fitting a garment on the form.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention toprovide a knock-down garment form which truly simulates the bust as separate and individual members, and which is adapted to receive pins and. other fastening elements used in fitting garments. i

It is another object of the present invention to provide aknock-down garment form which is fabricated of fiat cardboard sheets for easystorage in a small space, and which sheets are adapted for quick and easy assembly for setting up the form, and which is constructed to sustain the weight of heavy winter outer garments.

provide a garment form having a waist section and a skirt section, which sectionsmay be used independently ortogether as desired. r

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a knock-down garment form which is simple and durable, which is effective for its intended purposes, and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in View, thewinvention consists in certain details of construction and combina-, tions and arrangements of partsflall as will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims;

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention, and

having a felt covering. r

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device of the present invention, with the felt covering removed.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the device of Fig. 2, the waist and skirt portions separated. r

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the device of Fig. 1, showing the pin receiving material and a garment in position on the form. r

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank from which a bust section of the presentinvention is formed. i

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a blank from Fig. 7 is a plan view of a blank from which the left back section of the invention is formed.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the blank from which a front hip section of the device is formed.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the blank from which the back hip section of the device is formed.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the upper or waist portion of the form, generally designated 20, is adapted to be received in the lower or skirt pattern, generally designated 21. The skirt pattern may be supported by a pedestal (not shown) or any suitable supporting means. As the waist pattern is insertable into and removable from the skirt pattern, the patterns are 25 which converges toward its lower end 26 and which is formed with an armhole cutout 27 made neck 'cutout 28. Extending inwardly from the upper end 29 of the left back section 25 is a cut or slit 30, fora purpose to be described hereinafter. The left back section 25 is also provided with a plurality of spaced apertures 31 for receiving fasteners 32 to secure the section to other sections of the form.

A rightback section 33 is a mirror copy of the left back section 25, that is the same in all respects, except reversed in direction. The right back section is formed with an armhole 34 and a neck cutout 35. The left and right back sections are arranged inside by side partially overlapping relation with respect to each other, their armhole cutouts being remote from each other, and are provided with fasteners 32 extending through registering holes in the overlapping edge portions to detach ably secure the sections together. The split stem type fastener has been found preferable, but any suitable detachable fastener may be used.

A left front waist section 40 (Fig. 6) is formed with its sides 41 and 42 tapering toward the lower end 43, the side 41 being shorter than the side 42. A curved cutout portion 44 extends inwardly from the upper end spaced intermediate the sides 41 and 42, and an arm hole cutout 45 is formed at the upper end of side 42.

Similar to the left front waist 40 and reversed in direc A left front bust section is formed with a curved I lower edge 51, a neck opening cutout portion 52 adjacent its upper end 53 and the side 54, and an arm hole cutout portion 55, adjacent the upper. end and the other side edge portion 56. Extending inwardly from the lower edge 51 is formed a cut or dart-slit 59, and

spaced along the edge portions are a plurality of aperlt the bust section to accurately simulate the human tures 57. The slit 59 permits the portions on opposite sides thereof to be overlapped to form a dart so that the aperture 59a may be selectively registered with any of the apertures 59b and receive a fastener 59c therethrough. This will elfect a convex conical curvature of anatomy. A right front bust 58 is similar in all respects to the left front bust 50, except for its being reversedi'n direction. The left and right front bust sections are arranged in: side by side partially overlapping relation with their neck opening cutouts adjacent and detachably secured together by fasteners 58a extending through the overlapping portions. The left and right bust sections are then positioned with their upper ends curved to overlie the upper ends of the left and right back sections, respectively. The portions adjacent theopposite sides of dart-slip are arranged in overlying relation with: re-

spect to each other so that the adjacent apertures 31a and 31b are in registry with each other. Withv the back sections in this condition, a convex curvature thereof is The hip portion 21 is also fabricated of a plurality of fiat sheet sections and comprises a back hip section having its side edge portions 61 and .62 converging from the lower end 63 toward the upper end 64. The back hip section is provided with a plurality of apertures 65 spaced along the bottom edge portions of the sections,

and a dart-slit or cut 66 extends inwardly from the upper end 64. The portions adjacent the slit. 66 may be overlapped and held in such position by a fastener 65a extending through the adjacent apertures to effect an outwardly convex surface. I

A front hip section has its side edges 81 and 82 converging from the lower edge 83 to the upper edge 84,

and is provided with spaced apertures 85 near its top edge portion. The front hip section is positioned so, that its remote edge portions will overlie the opposite edge portions of the back hip section, respectively, anddetachable fasteners are extended through the overlying edge portions, the apertures 65a in the back hip section having been selectively registered with any ofthe. corresponding apertures 85 of the front hip section, and apertures 65 having been selectivelyaligned with any of the corresponding apertures 85a of the front hip section. Thus, there is constructed a hip form which is. substantialiy tubular in shape and converges from its lower to its upper ends. It has been found by experience that the hip form need not be more than 14 inches from its upper to its lower ends, as such length will provide sufficient contour for a garment being fitted or displayed.

As seen in Fig. 3, the waist form may have its lower end inserted into the upper end of the skirt form 2.1 and be seated therein to provide a complete garment form, the skirt form being supported upon any suitable pedestal (not shown). If desired, the Waist form may be used separately and supported upon any horizontal surface.

'In order to provide a suitable surface for receiving. pins and other fasteners used in garment fitting, it is contemplated to cover the sections with felt or other suitable material (see Fig. 4). The felt may be precut to the proper outline and adhesively secured to the sheet sections, or may be cut as desired by the operator and detachably secured to form, by pins or other such securing means. In the latter, the felt may be readily removed and replaced when it is no longer'usable, thereby prolonging the useful life of the garment form.

Of course, the waist and skirt forms may be fabricated in various sizes and styles," according to the vogue of the day. Further, it is possible to combine a waist form of one size with a skirt form of another size to accurately simulate theanatorny of a particular person; and where circumstances require, the form may be constructedcorresponding to the particular dimensions of a personS anatomy employing principal features of the invention.

Thus, it is seenthat a garment form is provided which The left.

accomplishes its intended objects, and which is well adapted to meetconditions of practical use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A knockdown garment form fabricated of flexible sheet sections and comprising a waist form including a pair of similar back sections, respectively left and right, a pair of similar front sections, respectively left and right, and a pair of similar bust sections, respectively left and right, each said back section having an upper end, a lower end, a center back edge and an underarm side edge, both said edges converging downwardly .toward said lower end, an armhole cutout extending from said underarm side edge to said upper end, a neck cutout extending from said center back edge to said upper end, means for detachably securing said back sections together along a margin adjacent their center-back edges, each said front section having an upper end, a lower end, a center front edge and an underarm side edge, acurved cut-out portion extending deeply downwardly from the upper end thereof and spaced intermediate the said waist section edges, and an armhole cutout at the upper end of the underarm side edge, the center front edges of both front sections partially overlapping and detachably secured together, the underarm side edge of each front sectionlapping and being detachably secured to the corresponding underarm side edge of a back section, the combined back and front sections when so connected, constituting a torso portion, the united front sections defining a flexible diaphragm portion, each said bust section being. formedwith a curved lower edge and having an upper end, a center-front edge and a side edge, a

neck-opening cutout extending from the upper end of each bust section to the center-front. edge thereof, an armhole cutout extending from the upper end of each bust. section to the other side edge thereof, the lower curved edge having a radial dart-slit, at least one aperture on one side of said dart-slit and a plurality of apertures' on the other side of said dart-slit with which said one'aperture may be selectively aligned to form a con.-.

vex conical curvature of each bust section to simulate the human anatomy, and a fastener extending through said aligned apertures to retain each bust section in the selected conical curvature; the upper end of each said r bust section having its upper portion curved about and extending over and beyond the top of the shoulder portion of the garment form with its upper edge portion overdetachably secured together along. their center back edges, and wherein a pair of similar front waist sections are detachably secured together along their overlapped center front edges, and wherein the left and the right front waist sections are detachably secured to underarm edges of the respective back sections to define a torso portion; a pair of similar bust sections, each said bust section being formed with a curved lower edgeand having an upper end, a center-front edge and a side edge, a neck-opening cutout extending from the upper end of each bust section to the center-front edge thereof, an armhole cutout extending from the upper end of each bust section to the said sidevedge thereof, the lower curved edge having a radial dart-slit; at least. one aperture on one side of said dart-slit and a plurality of apertures on the other side of said dart-slit with which said one aperture may be selectively aligned to form a convex conical curvature of each bust section to simulate the human anatomy, and a fastener extending through said aligned apertures to retain each bust section in the selected conical curvature; the upper end of each said bust section having its upper portion curved about and extending over and beyond the top of the shoulder portion of the garment form with its upper edge portion overlapping and being detachably secured to the upper edge portion of the corresponding back section, the center-front edges of said bust sections being in lapping engagement and detachably connected together, said bust sections being free of the front waist sections except adjacent the underarm edges of said front sections to which they are detachably secured, to facilitate freedom of movement of the free portion of the bust sections relative to the front Waist sections.

3. A knockdown garment form fabricated of flexible sheet sections and comprising a pair of similar back sections each having an underarm edge portion and a center back edge portion, said back sections being detachably secured together along their overlapped center back edges, a pair of similar front waist sections each having an underarm edge portion and a center front edge portion, which front sections are detachably secured together along their overlapped center front edges, each said front waist section having its underarm edge portion lapping and detachably secured to a corresponding underarm edge portion of its respective back section to define a torso portion, and a pair of similar bust sections, each said bust section being formed with a curved lower edge and having an upper end, a center-front edge and a side edge, a neck-opening cutout extending from the upper end of each bust section to the center-front edge thereof, an armhole cutout extending from the upper end of each bust section to the said side edge thereof, the lower curved edge having a radial dart-slit, at least one aperture on one side of said dart-slit and a plurality of apertures on the other side of said dart-slit with which said one aperture may be selectively aligned to form a convex conical curvature of each bust section to simulate the human anatomy, and a fastener extending through said aligned apertures to retain each bust section in the selected conical curvature; the upper end of each said bust section having its upper portion curved about and extending over and beyond the top of the shoulder portion of the garment form with its upper edge portion overlapping and being detachably securedto the upper edge portion of the corresponding back section, the center-front edges of said bust sections being in lapping engagement and detachably connected together, said bust sections being free of the front waist sections except adjacent the underarm edges of said front sections to which they are detachably secured, to facilitate freedom of movement of the free portion of the bust sections relative to the front waist sections.

4. In a knockdown garment form fabricated of flexible sheet sections, and wherein a pair of back sections are detachably secured together along their center back edges, and wherein a pair of similar front waist sections are detachably secured together along their overlapped center front edges, and wherein the left and the right front sections are detachably secured to underarm edges of the respective back sections to define a torso portion; a pair of similar bust sections, each said bust section being formed with a curved lower edge and having an upper end, a center-front edge and a side edge, a neck-opening cutout extending from the upper end of each bust section to the center-front edge thereof, an armhole cutout extending from the upper end of each bust section to the said side edge thereof, the lower curved edge having a radial dart-slit to define overlapping portions for effecting means to retain each bust section in a selected conical curvature; the upper end of each said bust section having its upper portion curved about and extending over and beyond the top of the shoulder portion of the garment form with its upper edge portion overlapping and being detachably secured to the upper edge portion of the corresponding back section, the center-front edges of said bust sections being in lapping engagement and detachably connected together, said bust sections being free of the front waist sections except adjacent the underarm edges of said front sections to which they are detachably secured, to facilitate freedom of movement of the free portion of the bust sections relative to the front waist sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,187,965 Browne Ian. 23, 1940 2,479,140 Shafarman Aug. 16, 1949 2,481,561 Beall Sept. 13, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 614,089 Great Britain Dec. 9, 1948 

